Sustainability
The absence of regular funding impedes the sustainability and
scalability of the project activities. The project was developed in
the context of a larger programme of humanitarian assistance to
Greece funded by the EU and sustainability of the funding is not
guaranteed. Activities that are developed in the context of humani-
tarian responses are often short-term in nature and end due to lack
of funding even if they are still needed. A possible solution could
be that authorities conduct situation analyses to identify activities
that address persisting needs, so that longer-term funding could be
made available.
Limited capacity for proper follow-up
The project contributes significantly to identifying homeless
children and families; however, due to the limited capacity of the
reception system, it is not always possible to ensure protection and
a prompt and appropriate placement. The project facilitates the
placement of children in dedicated facilities by referring them to
the national authorities, but prompt placement is always condition-
al to the availability of places, as the project itself does not provide
accommodation. As a result, many families and children remain in
the streets for long periods after identification as they await place-
ment, and during this time it is not possible to ensure the safety and
protection of children.
Difficulty in building trust and provision of long-term support
One of the biggest challenges of this project is establishing and
maintaining contact with the target group throughout lengthy legal
procedures, in particular as homeless persons often do not have a
stable place of reference where they can be reached. Although the
ARSIS youth centre and social service facilities could serve as a ref-
erence point, it is difficult to build trust. Children and families living
in the street have experienced traumatic situations and are often
victims of violence, abuse and exploitation, and engaging them in
project activities requires a lot of effort and continuous support
and counselling. Very often they receive contradictory information
from other sources, including traffickers and smugglers, which is an
additional constraint in building a trust-based relationship.
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